Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-11-19

rain. rift in the sky and the rare specta-
Gle of cloud scenery combined with a GER
tain sense Of freedom, restored that light
hearted gayety that became him most.
At sudden turn of the road he caught
sight of Rosey's figure coming toward
him and quiekened his step with the i'm
pulsiveness of a boy. But she suddenly
disappeared, and when he again saw her
she was on the other side of the trail ap-
parently picking the leaves OF a man
zanita She had already seen him.
Somehow the frankness of his greeting
was checked She looked up at him with
cheeks that retained enough of their color
to suggest why she had hesitated, and said,
"You here, Mr.. Renshaw' l thought you
were in Sacramento
And thought you were in Petaluma,"
he retorted, gayly. Il have letter from
your father. The fact is, one of those
gentlemen who has been haunting the
ship made an entry last night Who he
was and what he came for nobody knows.
Perhaps your father gives you his suspi
cions." He could not help looking at her
narrowly as he handed her the note. Ex-
Nfpb Tint bfl pItNAS tSCOlo"S HtAC
slightly raised in curiosity she seemed I'M
disturbed as she opened the letter. Pres
emily she raised her eyes to his,
as this all father gave youf'
"AH."
You're sure You haven't dropped any
thngs''
Nothing Ihave given you all he gave
me"
And that is all it is" She exhibited
the missive, a perfectly blank sheet Of
paper folded like note.
Renshaw felt the angry blood glow i'll
his cheeks This is objectionable! I as
sure you, Miss Mott, there must he some
mistake He himself has probably forgot
ten the nclosure," he continued, yet with
an inward conviction that the act was
perfectly premeditated on the part of the
Old man.
The young girl held out her hand
frankly. Don't think any more of it,
Mr. Renshaw Father is forgetful at
times, But tell he about last night"
IN few words Mr. Renshaw briefly
but plainly related the details of the at
tempt upon the Pontiac from the moment
that he had been awakened by Mott to his
discovery of the unknown trespasser's
flight by the open door to the loft. When
he had finished, he hesitated, and then
taking Rosey's hand, said impulsively
You will MT be angry with me if | tell
yoI all? Your father firmly believes that
the attempt was made by the old French
man, de Ferriercs, with a view of carry
ing Won off.
\ dozen reasons other than the one her
father would have attributed it to might
have called the blood to her face But
only innocence could have brought the
look Of astonished indignation to her eyes
~ She answered quickly:
so that was what you were laugh
ing az
"Noi that, Miss Mott" said the young
man eagerly: though | wish to God |
could accuse myself Of nothing more dis
loy"l Do not speak, | beg" he added
inn atiently, a no7cy was about to reply
Al have no right to hear you; | have no
right to even stand in your presence until
have confessed everything. | came to
the Pontiac; | made your acquaintance
Miss Mott, through IA fraud as wicked as
anything your father charges to de Fer
rcre- am not n contractor. | never
was IN honest lodger in the Pontiac. /
was simpy spy"
But y0u didn't mean to bet was
some mistake, wasn't it?'' said Rosey
quite white but more from sympathy
with the offenders emotion than horror
at the ofTense.
- am afraid | did mean it. But bear
with me for few moments longer and
you shall know cll It's II long story.
VIII you walk on, and-take my ARM
You do not shrink from me- Miss Mott
Thank you. scarcely deserve the kind
ness
Indeed so little did Rosey shrink that
he was conscious of n slight reaSsuring
pressure ON his arm as they moved for
ward, and for the moment | fear the
young man felt like exaggeratng his
offense for the sake of proportonate sym
pathy. DO you remember" he contin-
ued. zone evening when | told you some
sea tales, you said you always thought
there must he some story about the Pom
tac2 There was Il story of the Pontiac,
MISS 4Nbkl-st NiNktA sibIN-d
story-which | might have told you,
which ought to have told you-which
was the story that brought me there You
were right, too, in saying that you
thought had known the Pontiac before
/ stepped first ON her deck that day. |
had -
He laid his disengaged hand across
lightly on Roseys, as if to assure himself
that she was lstenine
Il was at that time a sailor. / had
been fool enough to run away from col
lege, thinking it a fine romantic thing to
ship before the mast for a voyage round
the world | was n little disappointed,
perhaps but | made the best of it, and in
two years was the second mate of " haler
lying in u little harbor of one of the nm
civilized islands of the Pacific. While we
were at anchor there French trading
vessel put in apparently for water. She
had the drecS Of Il mixed crew of I.ascars
and Portuguese. who said they had lost
the rest of their men by deserton, and
that the captain and mate had been car
rled off by fever. There was something
so queer in their story that our skipper
took the law in his own hands, and put
me on board of her with salvage crew
But that night the French crew mutinied,
cut the cables, and would have got to sea
If we had not been armed and prepared,
and managed to drive them below.
When we had got them under matches
for a few hours they parleyed, and
offered to go quietly ashore. AS we were
short of hands and unable to take them
with us, and rs we had no evidence
against them, we let them go, took the
ship to Callao, turned her over to the au-
thorities lodged claim for salvage, and
continued our voyage. When we returned
we found the truth of the story was
known She had been a French trader
from Marseilles, owned by her captain;
her crew had mutinied in the Pacific,
killed their officers and the only passenger
the owner of the cargo. They had made
away with the cargo and treasure of
nearly half million of Spanish gold for
trading purposes which belonged to the
passenger In course of time the shin